In a fight for survival the late arriving American Goldfinch have taken control of the Pagoda bird station. Chickadees and Nuthatches who wintered over in the area filed a complaint with the owners sighting their ‘squatter’s rights.’

“We’ve been here every day entertaining you through rain and freezing cold. What gives these sassy Goldfinch the right to horn in on our favorite feeder? It’s the best grub around. We demand and deserve first dibs.”

A spokesperson for the demur Goldfinch read a statement asserting the right of all birds to use the preferred feeder.

“Those Chickadees are such whiners with their chickadee-dee-deeing all day long, just like the fancy-pants Nuthatches out there yank-yank-yanking away in the branches, acting like they own the forest. Jeez – they all just need to get over it. The Goldfinches have as much right to rule that Pagoda feeder as anyone else – maybe more since they haven’t mooched off the place all winter long.”

A meeting between representatives of all concerned parties will be held later this week. The arbiter expects a long and bitter rivalry. Meanwhile, the owner intends to keep all the feeders full and fresh.

“It is nesting time, after all.” She offered, while snapping photos of the contenders.